Low Grocery Bill?

**brokemom** · 10-10-2004, 07:42 AM

I am in awe of everyone and the super low grocery budgets. I guess I don't have the knack yet and need to work harder on this. One thing that I know I need to start doing is stockpiling. I'm wondering if anyone can give me some examples of the highest price they'll pay for items they purchase often. For example canned veg are 4/$1 this week...I'll be stocking up on those since I know that's the cheapest I can find and it doesn't happen often. I seems that many of you disciplined ladies have a set price and if the item doesn't hit that low price then you do without and this I'm wondering might be one of the keys of the low LOW grocery bills that I can't get. I feel I pay "regular" price way to much. A big "no-no"! And I know grocery prices are so different from area to area. I think we are in a middle of the road location, NC. But I also don't think there are fantastic sales like I read about others having or those super triple coupon stores.

THANKS!

**BlessedMommy** · 10-10-2004, 08:36 AM

Welcome to Frugal Village, brokemom! You are right, for many of us the way we keep our grocery bills down is by stockpiling. I have a nice stockpile of food and HBA items that I was able to get on sale matched with coupons. Now that I have that, I rarely have to pay regular price for something.

I now plan my meals based on what is in my pantry and what is currently on sale. When something is at a super low price, I'll buy as many as I have coupons for or as many as I think we'll use before the "use by" date on the package. Sometimes my grocery cart must look funny to someone else because I have a ton of one item, but not a balanced week's worth of groceries!

Start with baby steps. Make your grocery list this week from the sale fliers and buy a few extra of items that are really on sale.

Don't compare yourself to others because there are so many variables. Some of us get double coupons (I don't), some have food allergies and need to purchase pricier items (no Peanut Butter here!), some live where there's lots of competition and grocery wars, some get WIC and don't need to include milk, etc. in their totals, some ... you get the picture! Just challenge yourself to reduce your grocery bill by a certain amount each month! YOU CAN DO IT!!

**QuilterMom** · 10-10-2004, 09:11 AM

Welcome brokemom!

Stocking up loss leaders/sale items is the key. My family eats organics so my grocery bills will never be as low as other ladies' here at FV, but I stockpile heavily when there are sales so I do save my family quite a bit of money over regular prices (which are outrageous for organics anyway). You mentioned you have a sale right now on canned items 4/$1 - that's a fabulous price! Using that same item as an example, I stock up when organic canned veggies are 75¢/can. Normal price is 99¢ and up and I have learned over the past year and a half of this eating journey that 75¢ is as low as the price gets period.

Happy shopping!

**Ellise** · 10-10-2004, 12:19 PM

Welcome Brokemom, It'll take you a while but once you get the hang of it it's fairly simple

**gkp1031** · 10-10-2004, 03:12 PM

Welcome brokemom!

I try to stock up when items I use are on sale and when I have a coupon. I have some stores that tripe coupons, so I really stock up then. I try to buy what is on sale, but some items I do buy the store brand which sometimes is a better savings than when the national brand is on sale. Good luck!

**guest2** · 10-10-2004, 04:15 PM

Brokemom,
I come from the land of no double or triple coupons so I have to work really hard at getting good deals. When I first started I kept a price book and wrote down the sale prices on food and when they occured looking for a pattern. I knew by tracking the sales when something was a good deal or not. I combine sales and coupons whenever possible, by marked down meats and buy yeast, flour, spices, oatmeal and other things in bulk (love those bulk bins!). The other day I spent .45 by buying cinnamon in bulk as opposed to spending $3 to buy the same amount in the bottle.

I also hit our Farmer's Markets, pick apples at a u-pick orchard where they are .25 a pound and the taste is superior to anything you'll find int he store and we have a small garden. I can, dehydrate and freeze lots of produce. We also make our own bread. One of the best places to find deals are the Dollar stores. I buy my feminine products there, toothpaste (unless I can get it free or close to free using a coupon at another store), ziplock bags, and many other food items that I cannot get cheaper anywhere else.
We tend to eat what is in season and eat lots of differetn ethnic foods. Today it was Chinese that I made at home and later in the week it will be Mexican. I focus on grains, vegis and fruit and less on meat. I almost forgot, a huge money saver for me is making and using homemade laundry detergent. I save about $6 a month on that alone. Add in washing in cold water and hanging things out to dry and the savings really start to add up. We also use cloth napkins and use rags to clean with. I cannot justify using lots of paper towels or napkins unless I need them to drain something greasy on.

**pkellyc** · 10-10-2004, 04:23 PM

Broke mom I am fairly new to this site also. Have you seen thier pics of stockpiling?? They make dairy mart look bare. I am not quite up to their standards but I do have a 4 rule at least 4 of every good sale I come across. I also do a meat of the week. 1 or 2 types of meat of whatever is on sale. I try not to pile up on anything we will not be eating very much of, buggy food and freezer burn are not my favorites. If we can't eat it I dont buy it. Saving money on groceries is more than sales, using up leftovers, figuring out which is cheaper homemade or box mixes. Homemade is sometimes cheaper but for things like cakes, and breads sometimes box mixes and store bought is cheaper. And there is time versus money. Where as my sister for example, works 40 to 50 hrs. a week and has 6 kids, I am a sahm for only 2 kids. Her time is at a premium so for her to spend a couple exta dollars for convinence is worth more to her than saving a couple dollars at the grocery store. Every family has different diets, likes and dislikes. In my house leftovers are the problem, I have to sneak them in my dh really dislikes them and I hate to waste. So I am always looking for creative ways to serve them. As far as grocery prices I am sure some of the ladies here can tell you the certain times of the year different foods go on sale. I have seen a list somewhere on the net but I can't remember exactly where. Does anyone know? It contained information like pork in the spring and seasonal eating type information.

**Michele Annette** · 10-11-2004, 01:58 PM

Hi Brokemom!

I have to agree with all that has been said already...stock up on sale items, buy specifially to your needs, finding other options to papertowels, etc. But I have to say that I'm going to be leaving the city for the country soon, so that means for us no double or triple coupons from the local grocery stores, etc. But I'm prepared by doing some of my stockpiling ahead of time and taking advantage of the sales as they come. If we will need to make a trip to Costco once we move, I plan on making a day of the stockpile items I need, if there is a good sale, otherwise I will wait and only buy the minimum that I will use until that item does go on sale. Making food items from scratch saves a lot as well.

**momof42003** · 10-12-2004, 03:28 PM

Get into the habit of checking your grocery store ads-religiously...
I never did this, but now it seems strange not to. Use those coupons and doubles if you have them. Get coupons from family and friends and get multiples. It is amazing when cashiers look and say "you saved so much how do you do it?" With time you will get the hang of it.